The unlikely duo of two of the finest character actors working today is brought together for a rather misguided summer distraction titled Between the Temples. I have been following Carol Kane since her scene stealing performances in Addams Family Values and Jawbreaker as well as a wacko performance in 1997 gem Office Killer and even final scream queen status in When a Stranger Calls and When a Stranger Calls Back. Jason Schwartzman likewise has been making waves post his breakthrough with Rushmore and I remember listening to him often with his band Coconut records in school. The amalgamation of these two actors on the screen should ideally be a compelling experience, but unfortunately, with careless cuts and editing along with a half-baked approach in developing the two disparate lead roles, Between the Temples ends up being a dull take on botch attempts on merging the legendary stars with limited scope for action or adventure.
Ben (Schwartzman) in an absolute crisis of faith cannot get through an entire shabbat service without scurrying off stage in disgrace after butchering the basic structure of the service. His moms (Dolly de Leon, Caroline Aaron) continue persuading his son into romance but to no benefit so far.
After his divorce, Ben has seen more fights in bars over too many mudslides than an average person probably would. All of that though, might come to an end when Karla (Kane), his former music teacher, comes to assist him in getting cleaned up after a problem. As it turns out, the fates have intervened because Karla wants to have the bat mitzvah she was never allowed earlier in life at an older age.
As one would assume, so happens, as the automated life which Ben sank into is now buoyed by Karla. Ben encourages Karla to help him with the Hebrew language and with every other activity, although he believes that a bat mitzvah should just not happen at her age. Throughout the thirteen months until the date which she had booked of course, they appear frequently, and more so with each partly large difference in their age. The dramedy aspects do not seem to work in a genuine way. It is not quit clear why these two have no chemistry whatsoever. A basic plot most certainly could work, however it is the conclusion and bad directing that is too obnoxious to cover up deficiencies in the narrative. For a story of such simplicity, it is rather exasperating and distracting to watch as a constantly erratic array of extreme close ups and cuts are employed for no reason whatsoever. The worst offender is a clumsy montage sequence that abuses the idea of sodomy and intertwines it with random headstones. Such a shoddy cut does not deliver what would be hoped to be a good viewing experience.
Even with all the hard work put in by Schwartzman and Kane, they too can’t bear the burden of such a pathetic film. One perfect scene, long but well written, placed at the dinner table is a huge positive, but unfortunately the shot comes at the dying moments of the film. The actors put in a telephone game where one person’s confession of love is meant to be kept secret. This segment is still a little disappointing because of the editing problems that quite evidently shine through, even though it is a standout piece. Honestly, I don’t know what the problem was here the cast is composed of incredibly talented individuals, and Schwartzman and Kane are my favorites.
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